Improvement in compound engines



2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

J. FISH. Compound Engines.

No 196 207. ,ented Oct. 16, I877 N. PETERS, PHOTQLITHQGRAPHER,wAsHmG ON, D. O.

the main valve.

UNITED STATES PATENT QFFICE.

JOHN FISH, OF SUMMIT, NEW JERSEY.

IMPROVEMENT IN COMPOUND ENGINES.

Specification forming part ofLetters Patent N0. 196,207, dated October 16, 1877; application filed December 18, 1876.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN FISH, of Summit, in the county of Union and State of New J e'rsey, have invented an Improvement in Compound Trimk-Engines, of which the following is a specification:

In a trunk engine cylinder, where only a single piston with an attached trunk is used, and where high-pressure steam is used in the annular space on the trunk side of the piston I place a contractible packing-ring in a suitable recess in the outside trunk casing or jacket, secured by a follower. In this packing-ring apertures are formed, connecting withpassages through the follower to the steam-chest, and to auxiliary cylinders containing pistons which move the slide valve of the engine. There are also suitable apertures in the packing-ring, connecting to passages in the trunk casing or jacket, and from that to the exhaustpassage in the main cylinder.

When the piston is at either end of its stroke, pockets or chambers are formed in the trunk, so as to connect the steam-supply opening in the packing ring with the port in the ring connecting to the auxiliary cylinder, the piston of which gives the required motion to Close to the steam connection-chamber in the trunk is a pocket or aperture connecting from the steam-port of the opposite auxiliary cylinder to the exhaustopening in the packing'ring, and from thence to the exhaust-passage in the main cylinder. The exhaust aperture in the trimk is so placed in relation to the steam-aperture in the trunkas to give the proper amount of lead necessary.

'To keep the trunk and its chambers in line with the ports in the contractible packingring, I attach in the center and to the inside of the trunk-casin g a guidebar of any section that will keep the trunk and piston from turning.

I am aware that compound trinik engines have been made with double piston heads, having. apertures in the trunk, and suitable openings in the ring or bush surrounding it, and r by this arrangement to withdraw the steam from auxiliary cylinders, the pistons of which gave motion to the main slide-valve; but the trunk has been made to work through a solid ring or bush, and the aperture is formed so as to conduct the steam through the bush. Now, although the joint between the bush or ring and trunk may be tight at first, when it begins to wear there is no means of preventing a leak without renewing the ring. If split, so as to contract on the trunk, there will be a leak between the ring and its seating.

In my improvement the manner in which I form the portsso as to conduct the steam through the contractible ring to the apertures which supply the live steam and admit it to the auxiliary cylinders, and from the auxiliary cylinders to the main exhaustportis essentially different, and is a point I consider of great practicable importance to the success of its economic working. The packing-ring is contractible, so that any wear is taken up by the ring itself. The steam-supply, steam, and exhaust apertures or ports only enter halfway diametrically through the ring. They are then deflected at right angles, and pass out through the end surfaces of the ring. These surfaces are made steam-tight between the follower and trunk-casing, like an ordinary metallic-packed piston, so that the ring has liberty to follow the wear between itself and the trunk, and at the same time keep its joints 011 the end perfectly steam-tight.

The accompanying drawings form a part of this specification, and represent the best means of carrying out my improvement in its application to compound engines.

Figure 1 is a longitudinal section through the line marked 00 y in Fig. 2, up to the vertical center of the trunk packing-ring. The section then cuts through the line marked 1; 'w, to show part of the exhaust-port in the packingring and passage leading from it in the trunkcasing.

The main cylinder is marked A, main piston is marked B, trunk is marked 0, trunkcasing is marked D, contractible packing-rin g is marked E, the follower is marked F, guide on trunk is marked G, auxiliary pistons are marked H H, auxiliary cylinders marked I I, steam-chambers in trunk are marked K, exhaust-chambers in trimk marked M M, steamsupply apertures marked N, steam supply apertures in packing-ring, and apertures from them to their respective cylinders, marked L L, and the exhaust-ports in packing-ring, and apertures from them 17011131111 exhaust -ports, marked M M.

Fig. 2 is a plan. Fig. 3 is an end View. Fig. 4 is a section of trunk, packing-ring, and follower, showing how the steam-supply pas sage may be carried directly through the follower into the main cylinder and take its steam from there. Fig. 5 is a section of trunk, follower, and packing ring, showing how the steemsnpply can be carried from the cylinder to the packing -ring port: through a channel way in the trunk, dispensing with at supplyport in the packing-ring.

I claim as my improvement- 1. A contractible packing-fin g, having ports for the distribution of steam to the auxiliary cylinders of the slide-valve moving pistons in a compoimd trunk-engine, in combination with the trunk, having ste2nn-passages to connect with ports in the above-mentioned c0ntra-ctible packing-ring, substantially as specified, and as herein set forth;

2. The guide bar attached to the trunk casing, in combination with the trunk, having steam-passages which connect with ports in the contractible packing-ring, substantially as specified, and for the purpose as herein set fortln JOHN FISH. 

